Getty Former Raiders WR Marcell Ateman.
The Las Vegas Raiders have retooled their wide receiver corps in recent weeks. DeSean Jackson and Dillon Stoner have been added to the active roster but the team still isn’t satisfied. They announced on Thursday that they signed Tyron Johnson to the practice squad. He’ll likely be elevated to the active roster in short order.
To make room for Johnson, the Raiders had to release wide receiver Marcell Ateman.
We have signed WR Tyron Johnson to the practice squad.
In a corresponding move, we have released WR Marcell Ateman from the practice squad.
Ateman was drafted by the Raiders in the seventh round of the 2018 NFL Draft. In his first two seasons with the team, he played in 18 games and accumulated 270 receiving yards. Since those first two seasons, he’s been on and off the roster several times. He’s one of the first wide receivers the Raiders call when they have a need. However, he has not caught a pass since 2019.
The Raiders are the only team he’s played for and he’s very adept in the offense at this point. Though he’s been cut again, it’s easy to see him making his way back on the roster in some capacity eventually.
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Bryan Edwards Believes Raiders Need to Execute Better
GettyLas Vegas Raiders wide receiver Bryan Edwards.
The Raiders offense has struggled in recent weeks and they need stronger play from their wide receivers. Hunter Renfrow is the most reliable of the group but Bryan Edwards has the most big-time potential. He had 88-yard receiving yards and a big touchdown in last week’s loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. Despite his strong performance, the team only scored 14 points. He believes the Raiders aren’t executing at a high enough level.
“I just feel like we didn’t execute the way we wanted to,” Edwards said after Sunday’s loss. “We’ve got to go back to practice and work out the kinks.”
“I feel like it was just a matter of execution,” he added. “We just were shooting ourselves in the foot all game, whether it was pre-snap penalties or not doing the right thing assignment wise, just execution.”
Edwards has shown some flashes but needs to be a more consistent target. He has an opportunity to prove his worth as a No. 1 wide receiver this season. He hasn’t proven that he deserves that position going forward quite yet.
WR Set to Be a Need for Raiders Again
Regardless of what happens this season, the Raiders are going to have to address wide receiver in the offseason. The team needs a true No. 1. They could go all out and try to add a big name like Davante Adams. It would take a lot to get him away from the Green Bay Packers but he would solve the wide receiver issue for at least several years.
The team could also look to the draft. Chris Olave out of Ohio State could be a really strong target. The Raiders should be thinking about how to address the position sooner rather than later. Renfrow and Edwards are solid pieces going forward but neither is a No. 1.
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